


A Problem With Tribbles

by liionne



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek (2009)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 23:36:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/842739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liionne/pseuds/liionne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chekov and Tribbles do not go well together</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Problem With Tribbles

Chekov had been given one job: look after the tribbles. It was his day off -because they all got a full day off, once in a while- and Kirk had asked the little Russian to do him a favour. Of course Chekov was happy to oblige, thinking perhaps it would be helping him with some job or other,or doing some work in engineering. But, unfortunately, no.

"I just fed them, so they should be fine for a little while, a few hours, I guess. If they all start... _wibbling,_  just feed them again." Kirk shrugged.

Chekov pursed his lips as nodded. He had never had a Tribble before - his parents had always refused, saying they were pointless little furballs that just "ate, slept and procreated". They wouldn't waste their money on one. Maybe if they had Chekov wouldn't feel so lost right now, looking at the desk-sized cage full of about twenty tribbles, all purring softly.

After a second of looking at the Tribbles, Kirk patted Chekov on the back. "See you in a few hours, kid." He said, before leaving the room to return to the bridge.

Chekov looked at the Tribbles, who seemed quite peaceful, and muttered a little in Russian, before picking up his PADD and trying to find a distraction.

~~~~~

It had been two hours since Kirk had left Chekov and the Tribbles alone, and things seemed to be going smoothly. They were pretty good at entertaining themselves, as was Chekov, and so they just got on with it. But then they strted getting, as Kirk described it, "wibbly".

The purring turned up a notch in pitch, make a higher sortof whirring noise like an electirc fan or motor of some sort. Chekov put the PADD down to look at them. They were all pressed up against the cage wall, the one closest to Chekov, as if pining for his attention. He frowned, and watched them for a few moments.

"You want food? I can d that." He nodded. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feed them - did you just sprinkle it in the top like a fish tank? Chekov opened the door to the Tribbles cage and watched them surge forward, setting their sights on freedom. He shut the door quickly, turning and getting out of his chair to try to find the food.

As he poked around the room, mutteringabout how "Kirk should clean up more; this place is a dump; you'll never find anything in here" (although his room was no better), he didn't hear the sound of the cage door creaking gentle open, having not been shut properly. And he continued to be oblivious, still muttering to himself, to the Tribbles spilling  
out onto the floor and rolling towards the door.

Only when the door opened with a swoosh did he spin round.

He yelped, and tried to shoo the Tribbles that were still inside the room back towards the cage. They purred as they rolled backwards away from the door, and Chekov rolled his eyes. He left the room and wiated until the door had most definitely shut to press the button to lock it. The Tribbles that had escaped, about ten, it seemed, were already nearly at the end of the corridor.

"No you don't!" Chekov cried, picking up Tribbles as gently as he could and tucking them in his arms. They purred and wriggled, trying to get free, so much so that Chekov nearly dropped them twice. He had about four in the arms, and he was quickly catching up to them.

Or he was, until he turned the corner at the end of the corridor and bumped straight into McCoy.

"Dammit-" He began, until Chekov yelped again, as Tribbles went flying into the air. The ones that landed on the floor began to purr in a way that sounded like high pitched squealing.

Chekov yelped something in Russian that of course McCoy didn't understand, and said, "Help me get them! Help me get them!"

McCoy frowned at him as he watched Chekov trying to pick up the dropped Tribbles, stuffing them into his arms and holding them there with his chin. He did manage to catch one, however, as it tried to escape behind them, and he pushed it into Chekov's arms. He walked away quickly, giving Chekov a look that told him "Good luck - you're gonna need it."

Chekov watched the doctor go for a little while, until his attention was brought back to the Tribbles as they tried to squirm out of his arms. "Agh!" He cried, shifting them around so that he had a good hold on them before running off to find the rest.

The corridors weren't deserted, but people skirted around the Tribbles uncertainly, yelping and standing aside when they were faced with Chekov at top speed, yelling "Move! Move!", picking up Tribbles and dropping them every so often. He would mutter in Russian and yelp as he chased them around. He only had three more to get, and then he could take them back to their cage, and Kirk would know nothing about it-

He didn't realise he was on the Bridge until it was too late.

The three escaped Tribbles broke out onto the bridge, rolling towards the Captain's chair. Chekov cursed in Russian as he tried to catch them, before they could reach the Captain. But as he did so, he tripped on a wire trailing over to Uhura's station - he was sent flying across the bridge, as were the Tribbles.

He hit the floor pretty hard, attracting everyone's attention. Kirk pressed his lips into a thin line, and called to one of the red shirts, "Fetch a medic." Several of the Tribbles had landed in his lap, and were purring happily. He left them on the  chair as he stood up, reaching down to help Chekov up.

"Keptin!" Chekov cried. His nose was bleeding. "I- I was just trying to-"

"Break your nose?" Jim asked, raising his eyebrows.

"- catch the Tribbles. They escaped." Chekov finished. "B-breaking my nose was not part of the plan, Keptin." He added.

Jim smiled a little. The rest of the Tribbles had collected in a little group, all purring happily. He picked them up and placed them on the chair. A nurse scurried in, and looked around for the problem.

"Why don't you go back to Med Bay and get seen to, huh?" Jim suggested, an obvious command for Chekov, who nodded, biting his lower lip. "Thanks for taking care of them."

"Not- Not a problem, Keptin." He said, as the nurse ushered him away.


End file.
